Mother of abused boy files suit against assailant

The mother of one victim of a Glen Burnie man serving three years in prison for molesting young boys has sued her son's assailant for $100 million.

The suit, filed Monday in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, claims the boy suffered "excruciating pain" during the abuse and later became depressed and suicidal.

It asks for $50 million each in compensatory and punitive damages from Thomas Dalton Estes III, 59.

Estes, who lived in the 500 block of Joy Circle, pleaded guilty in August 1992 to sexual child abuse of the boy, who was 10 at the time. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of third degree sex offense in cases involving two other youngsters.

"It's just a bad thing he did to this kid," said J. David Ash, the attorney for the child and his mother.

The boy and his mother have moved to Ellicott City.

According to the complaint, the boy suffered from insomnia and nightmares and his grades in school dropped.

Victim impact statements the child, his mother and psychologist submitted for Estes' sentencing in September 1992 depict a child so haunted by the abuse and a delay in court proceedings that he grew suicidal and was hospitalized for about a month. The boy has continued in psychological therapy, according to the suit.

The psychologist treating him found the child to be "severely depressed and suicidal" last year.

"The impact of what has happened to me, I believe, has scarred me for life," the child wrote in the impact statement.

"Now I look at people differently because what he did was harmful to me," he wrote.

Estes, described as a kind neighbor and churchgoer by friends, invited neighborhood boys to his swimming pool, took them roller skating and bought them toys and candy. Several boys alleged that he forced them to commit a variety of sexual acts.